Now more than anything, Minagi wanted time to stop dead in it's tracks and never continue. She dreaded leaving in the first place, but her new cargo was going to cost her a lot more than just a bit of grief and loneliness, it was going to change the whole Masaki household. She wanted to confide in someone or at least be able to release her tension anywhere, but everytime she looked into Ryoko's bright amber eyes, she felt like dying three times in a row just to make sure she wouldn't have to worry about any of this.
Unfortunately time didn't stop. The weekend sped up, and Minagi blinked in disbelief as she was watching Washu upgrade her ship with new communication modules. She wanted to cry, in fact, she did. When questioned, she said she was so happy that she has a loving family. In truth she wanted to just scream "AEKA'S RUNNING AWAY AND I WANT YOU TO STOP HER!" Of course, she kept her promise that she would take the princess in secrecy back to Jurai. Finally it dawned upon her. There WAS someone to talk to about all of this. Quietly climbing the steps to the second level of Tenchi's endless house, she stopped at a door. Perking her ears to hear for any activity, she gently rapped at the door before pushing it open.
"Oh! Hello Minagi!" Tenchi looked up from his books.
Minagi felt the world fall on her head. "Hi Tenchi! I just wanted to see if you needed anything!"
The boy waved his hand. "No, thank you. I'm fine. Ryoko?"
The girl poked her head out of the closet. "I'm fine, thanks."
For the first time in a long time, Minagi laughed and it felt good. Ryoko was horrible at being subtle about certain things, and Minagi heard her stumble all the way to the closet. She felt bad for Tenchi who would have to pick up all the clothes she knocked over. Perhaps she'd help later, just so she could laugh once more. Now that everything was all clear, she turned towards Sasami's room. Breathing a sigh of relief, she knew she could say anything and everything she wanted to Sasami and not worry. The princess was to be notified that her sister was leaving, perhaps they would work together to convince her to stay.
Minagi didn't even bother knocking on the door. She didn't even bother opening it. She simply passed through the fibers of the door and knelt before Sasami who was set on her knees, weeping quietly. Now she felt worse than ever. She wondered just how much trouble she had started by intervening in all of their lives. She just wanted to come to the house to visit, and now she was destroying dreams and making children cry. What kind of a person does this to people? With a lot of hesitation, she placed her hand on Sasami's shoulder, trying to console the girl.
"Why does she have to go?" Sasami's voice became shaky.
Minagi sighed slowly. "I think it's because she feels like she doesn't belong here anymore. Since Tenchi loves Ryoko, she feels like there's no place for her and no reason for her to stay. She doesn't want to create problems for this family, so she's trying to stay out of the way. It's noble of her to step down and admit she's lost. She's far stronger than you or I who can't stand the thought of leaving here. I wish she would stay just as strongly as you do, but you can't force her to live in pain. Don't you want your sister to be happy?"
Sasami fell into Minagi's lap and sobbed. "If that's how she feels, then she's stupid! This IS her family and there always is a place for her here! Just because she can't be with Tenchi doesn't mean that we don't love her or need her! How can she just be so cruel and leave like that! She doesn't even want to say goodbye to the family that opened their house to her and loved her unconditionally, even though she was different than them."
Minagi reflected on Sasami's words, feeling the hurt in every word the girl spoke. She was absolutely right, Aeka was running away from her problems instead of facing them. She didn't know if staying was going to hurt her, she only knew that she could still flee from her problems and know they couldn't follow. When she went back to Jurai, all would be well, or would it? How was she to guarantee that leaving behind the family she loved so dearly would be the best thing to do? This place that gave her so much joy and happiness and freedom. A place where she could walk freely among men and not worry about people treating her differently because of her social status. Here she wasn't the intangible princess, she was sweet, loving Aeka. Everyone wanted her to stay. Love was always here for her. Absorbing all of this into her, she gently pushed Sasami off of her lap.
"Thank you, little Sasami. Thank you for being more mature than any of us." Minagi looked over her shoulder and then vanished.
Walking towards the bend in the lake where you were out of view from anyone in the house, Minagi drew her hand back and brought it across Aeka's face. The princess stumbled back, holding her face in shock.
"You..." The princess' eyes widened.
"I have never struck someone in my life that didn't deserve it. I've never turned my back on someone that needed me. I've never denied love just because it wasn't the love I thought it to be. I've never forsaken ANYONE, and I thought you would be the same!" Minagi's entire body shook with rage. "I couldn't even talk to Sasami about the guilt I was feeling when I first stepped in there to do so. I made it seem like you were right for being a coward and betraying the feelings of everyone in that house including yourself, Princess Aeka Jurai. You truly have some colossal nerve for the way you use and abuse the love of the people in this house for you. Not once did any of them judge you because of who you were on Jurai. They judged you on who you were in this house, more than an asset, you were a part of their FAMILY. And you turn away so easily from the ones that love you the most just because you're acting like a spoiled princess that can't have her way! I'm ashamed, because I looked up to you for so long. Even when you and Ryoko were bitter rivals, I saw a light in you that made me respect you for who you were, a woman with morals and dignity and a love of life and family. Now all I see is a bitter woman who will never find love and happiness because you can't even see the love that's right in front of your face. THAT love!" Minagi held her hand out towards the house. "That's the only love you have! You think about that, while you're betraying it all!" Minagi turned to walk back towards the house. "We leave tomorrow morning. At least maybe you can tell Sasami you're sorry you're such a failure at being a role model to her. I wouldn't accept your apology if you signed it in blood." Clenching her fist, Minagi vanished from that spot.
Aeka stood holding her face, unable to respond, unable to even breathe. Minagi was right. She was denying a greater love than Tenchi's. The love of the family that had taken her in with no prejudice of who she was or where she came from. How selfish had she been!? To think that it was all about her. Her problems were their problems and theirs were hers. Feeling too ashamed to face Minagi right then and there, she decided to sit by the water and cleanse her soul of all her malice. She felt dirty, like a pirate who had stolen the life of an innocent being. She felt like less than a person for hurting Sasami that way. All she could do was let her emotions go. Pounding the ground, Aeka sobbed into the earth, hoping that it would at least comfort her. She stayed there for a while, just looking for the feelings she tossed away. She felt like she'd be looking forever.
Dinner that night was particularly solemn. Sasami couldn't find the will to cook, even to leave her room. She lay on her futon crying as if the world were coming to an end, and to Minagi and Aeka, they knew for her it very well may have. Minagi dragged her chopsticks through her starchy take-out rice. Aeka hadn't come to dinner and she felt bad for the way she reacted to the princess. She wanted to apologize, but the stubborn part of it believed she deserved every fiber of that slap. Tenchi, weary from studying could only pick at his food, Ryoko inhaling everyone's shares with no remorse. The table seemed so empty with Mihoshi and Kiyone on patrol, Noboyuki working late and Katsuhito skipping dinner to work at the shrine. Washu rarely ever came to the table for meals anymore, and Sasami didn't even want to think of eating. Tenchi, Ryoko and Minagi sat at the table, but only Ryoko seemed content.
"What's everyone's deals?" Ryoko placed her rice bowl down. "Why's it so empty."
Tenchi looked around and nodded in agreement. "Yea, I wonder where everyone is."
Minagi gazed into her clear miso soup. "I think everyone just has a lot on their minds, nowadays."
Ryoko slammed her hands on the table. "But this is your last night here! We should've at least eaten together one last time before you go! That's so like everyone to be so full of themselves that they can't even care about family leaving!" The space pirate felt like forcing everyone into the dining room and making them eat whether they were hungry or not. Instead, she sighed sadly and pushed her own food away. "Now I have no appetite."
"You're absolutely right, Ryoko. We're too full of ourselves to think about our families and loved ones. We should stop thinking the world's all about us." Aeka quietly sat down, picking up a bowl of rice. "This is Minagi's last night, we should all be here to see her off tomorrow." Aeka gazed up at Minagi who looked away once she realized that Aeka had changed her mind. She felt really horrible about slapping her, now.
"It's OK... you don't have to eat if you're not hungry." Minagi spoke softly, hardening her gaze at her soup, hoping she can become as clear as it.
"I'll get Sasami." The princess spoke softly.
Ryoko's face flushed with worry. "What's wrong with the princess?" She thought that Aeka had found out about her and Tenchi. She blinked a few times and flexed her fingers, hoping she wouldn't have to fight the princess to the death tonight.
"Oh don't worry Ryoko, everyone knows about Tenchi and you." came a familiar voice. Mihoshi sat at the table and picked up her pair of chopsticks. "Got off early so I could come say goodbye, you know. We can't just let you leave without making a big deal of it!" her voice was as cheerful as usual.
Kiyone leaned over Minagi's shoulder and smiled softly. "Mihoshi can be absolutely right, sometimes. We can't just let you go without a fun family-filled dinner to remember for your long journey!"
Minagi felt a bit better. After slapping Aeka, she felt like the entire family was offended by her actions, though they didn't see them. Ryoko had felt the sting in her own hand, wondering what the hell Minagi was slapping so hard that even she could feel it. She placed her hand in her lap, contemplating what happened. She started to put two and two together before she realized that maybe Minagi had done something bad.
The small scientist placed a small box in front of Minagi. "I was only late for dinner because I wanted to finish this for you. Take it with you to remember us by whenever you're lonely."
Inside the box, a holographic family photo of everyone including Minagi shone brightly. It seemed so lifelike, standing in 3-D and with details galore. The thoughtful gift brought tears to the pirate's eyes. She felt like she really belonged to this family.
When all was calm, finally, Sasami descended the stairs. Her eyes just as bright as usual, though reddened from her previous crying. Minagi sighed a breath of relief when she saw Sasami laugh with the family again. When Aeka didn't come down, she thought it best to see what was wrong herself.
In the darkness of the room, only Aeka's shilouette could be seen. The princess sat, hunched over and looking miserable. Minagi kneeled at the door, feeling she had no right to come any closer to the princess. "Aeka, I'm really really sorry for the way I acted earlier."
"Do not apologize for doing what's right. You were right. You and Sasami. Do you know what she said to me this morning when I told her I was leaving? She said 'If you don't love yourself, how can you love anyone else?'" The princess sighed slowly. "I didn't understand what she meant by that, but now I realize. I couldn't possibly have seen the love I live with, because I didn't love myself enough to think that anyone could love me. When I met Tenchi, I thought that, that was the only love I could possibly have. I wanted it all to myself. I felt a bit greedy and gluttonous, striving to win all of his affections, but I tried to have it all anyway. I think somewhere in the process, I lost myself as a person. I started to deny that anything could be worthy of love if it wasn't the kind of love that Tenchi could give me. I was too blind to see that he did love me in his own way. It was a love that was unconditional and emotional. He loved me and protected me in a way that may be better than the love a husband can give his wife. Though it feels good to be loved in that way, it feels good to be loved this way as well. I've been hiding a part of myself just so that I can satisfy my inner greed. Who was I?" Aeka spoke softly.
"It was a part of you, that you never knew. We all seem to discover that there are parts of ourselves we never knew we had. Some good, some bad, but all just an element of who we are. If you can't love you, then you can't love anyone else, and if you can't love anyone else, they can't love you." Minagi smiled softly. "Everyone's downstairs, why don't you come eat with us. It's my last night here, I'd be honored if one of my role models joined me for dinner." She tried to lighten the situation.
Aeka embraced Minagi. "I would love to."
Descending the stairs, The princess and Minagi saw that Noboyuki and Katsuhito had joined everyone for dinner. One big happy family, after all.
End of ch. 7
- one more to go!
Unfortunately time didn't stop. The weekend sped up, and Minagi blinked in disbelief as she was watching Washu upgrade her ship with new communication modules. She wanted to cry, in fact, she did. When questioned, she said she was so happy that she has a loving family. In truth she wanted to just scream "AEKA'S RUNNING AWAY AND I WANT YOU TO STOP HER!" Of course, she kept her promise that she would take the princess in secrecy back to Jurai. Finally it dawned upon her. There WAS someone to talk to about all of this. Quietly climbing the steps to the second level of Tenchi's endless house, she stopped at a door. Perking her ears to hear for any activity, she gently rapped at the door before pushing it open.
"Oh! Hello Minagi!" Tenchi looked up from his books.
Minagi felt the world fall on her head. "Hi Tenchi! I just wanted to see if you needed anything!"
The boy waved his hand. "No, thank you. I'm fine. Ryoko?"
The girl poked her head out of the closet. "I'm fine, thanks."
For the first time in a long time, Minagi laughed and it felt good. Ryoko was horrible at being subtle about certain things, and Minagi heard her stumble all the way to the closet. She felt bad for Tenchi who would have to pick up all the clothes she knocked over. Perhaps she'd help later, just so she could laugh once more. Now that everything was all clear, she turned towards Sasami's room. Breathing a sigh of relief, she knew she could say anything and everything she wanted to Sasami and not worry. The princess was to be notified that her sister was leaving, perhaps they would work together to convince her to stay.
Minagi didn't even bother knocking on the door. She didn't even bother opening it. She simply passed through the fibers of the door and knelt before Sasami who was set on her knees, weeping quietly. Now she felt worse than ever. She wondered just how much trouble she had started by intervening in all of their lives. She just wanted to come to the house to visit, and now she was destroying dreams and making children cry. What kind of a person does this to people? With a lot of hesitation, she placed her hand on Sasami's shoulder, trying to console the girl.
"Why does she have to go?" Sasami's voice became shaky.
Minagi sighed slowly. "I think it's because she feels like she doesn't belong here anymore. Since Tenchi loves Ryoko, she feels like there's no place for her and no reason for her to stay. She doesn't want to create problems for this family, so she's trying to stay out of the way. It's noble of her to step down and admit she's lost. She's far stronger than you or I who can't stand the thought of leaving here. I wish she would stay just as strongly as you do, but you can't force her to live in pain. Don't you want your sister to be happy?"
Sasami fell into Minagi's lap and sobbed. "If that's how she feels, then she's stupid! This IS her family and there always is a place for her here! Just because she can't be with Tenchi doesn't mean that we don't love her or need her! How can she just be so cruel and leave like that! She doesn't even want to say goodbye to the family that opened their house to her and loved her unconditionally, even though she was different than them."
Minagi reflected on Sasami's words, feeling the hurt in every word the girl spoke. She was absolutely right, Aeka was running away from her problems instead of facing them. She didn't know if staying was going to hurt her, she only knew that she could still flee from her problems and know they couldn't follow. When she went back to Jurai, all would be well, or would it? How was she to guarantee that leaving behind the family she loved so dearly would be the best thing to do? This place that gave her so much joy and happiness and freedom. A place where she could walk freely among men and not worry about people treating her differently because of her social status. Here she wasn't the intangible princess, she was sweet, loving Aeka. Everyone wanted her to stay. Love was always here for her. Absorbing all of this into her, she gently pushed Sasami off of her lap.
"Thank you, little Sasami. Thank you for being more mature than any of us." Minagi looked over her shoulder and then vanished.
Walking towards the bend in the lake where you were out of view from anyone in the house, Minagi drew her hand back and brought it across Aeka's face. The princess stumbled back, holding her face in shock.
"You..." The princess' eyes widened.
"I have never struck someone in my life that didn't deserve it. I've never turned my back on someone that needed me. I've never denied love just because it wasn't the love I thought it to be. I've never forsaken ANYONE, and I thought you would be the same!" Minagi's entire body shook with rage. "I couldn't even talk to Sasami about the guilt I was feeling when I first stepped in there to do so. I made it seem like you were right for being a coward and betraying the feelings of everyone in that house including yourself, Princess Aeka Jurai. You truly have some colossal nerve for the way you use and abuse the love of the people in this house for you. Not once did any of them judge you because of who you were on Jurai. They judged you on who you were in this house, more than an asset, you were a part of their FAMILY. And you turn away so easily from the ones that love you the most just because you're acting like a spoiled princess that can't have her way! I'm ashamed, because I looked up to you for so long. Even when you and Ryoko were bitter rivals, I saw a light in you that made me respect you for who you were, a woman with morals and dignity and a love of life and family. Now all I see is a bitter woman who will never find love and happiness because you can't even see the love that's right in front of your face. THAT love!" Minagi held her hand out towards the house. "That's the only love you have! You think about that, while you're betraying it all!" Minagi turned to walk back towards the house. "We leave tomorrow morning. At least maybe you can tell Sasami you're sorry you're such a failure at being a role model to her. I wouldn't accept your apology if you signed it in blood." Clenching her fist, Minagi vanished from that spot.
Aeka stood holding her face, unable to respond, unable to even breathe. Minagi was right. She was denying a greater love than Tenchi's. The love of the family that had taken her in with no prejudice of who she was or where she came from. How selfish had she been!? To think that it was all about her. Her problems were their problems and theirs were hers. Feeling too ashamed to face Minagi right then and there, she decided to sit by the water and cleanse her soul of all her malice. She felt dirty, like a pirate who had stolen the life of an innocent being. She felt like less than a person for hurting Sasami that way. All she could do was let her emotions go. Pounding the ground, Aeka sobbed into the earth, hoping that it would at least comfort her. She stayed there for a while, just looking for the feelings she tossed away. She felt like she'd be looking forever.
Dinner that night was particularly solemn. Sasami couldn't find the will to cook, even to leave her room. She lay on her futon crying as if the world were coming to an end, and to Minagi and Aeka, they knew for her it very well may have. Minagi dragged her chopsticks through her starchy take-out rice. Aeka hadn't come to dinner and she felt bad for the way she reacted to the princess. She wanted to apologize, but the stubborn part of it believed she deserved every fiber of that slap. Tenchi, weary from studying could only pick at his food, Ryoko inhaling everyone's shares with no remorse. The table seemed so empty with Mihoshi and Kiyone on patrol, Noboyuki working late and Katsuhito skipping dinner to work at the shrine. Washu rarely ever came to the table for meals anymore, and Sasami didn't even want to think of eating. Tenchi, Ryoko and Minagi sat at the table, but only Ryoko seemed content.
"What's everyone's deals?" Ryoko placed her rice bowl down. "Why's it so empty."
Tenchi looked around and nodded in agreement. "Yea, I wonder where everyone is."
Minagi gazed into her clear miso soup. "I think everyone just has a lot on their minds, nowadays."
Ryoko slammed her hands on the table. "But this is your last night here! We should've at least eaten together one last time before you go! That's so like everyone to be so full of themselves that they can't even care about family leaving!" The space pirate felt like forcing everyone into the dining room and making them eat whether they were hungry or not. Instead, she sighed sadly and pushed her own food away. "Now I have no appetite."
"You're absolutely right, Ryoko. We're too full of ourselves to think about our families and loved ones. We should stop thinking the world's all about us." Aeka quietly sat down, picking up a bowl of rice. "This is Minagi's last night, we should all be here to see her off tomorrow." Aeka gazed up at Minagi who looked away once she realized that Aeka had changed her mind. She felt really horrible about slapping her, now.
"It's OK... you don't have to eat if you're not hungry." Minagi spoke softly, hardening her gaze at her soup, hoping she can become as clear as it.
"I'll get Sasami." The princess spoke softly.
Ryoko's face flushed with worry. "What's wrong with the princess?" She thought that Aeka had found out about her and Tenchi. She blinked a few times and flexed her fingers, hoping she wouldn't have to fight the princess to the death tonight.
"Oh don't worry Ryoko, everyone knows about Tenchi and you." came a familiar voice. Mihoshi sat at the table and picked up her pair of chopsticks. "Got off early so I could come say goodbye, you know. We can't just let you leave without making a big deal of it!" her voice was as cheerful as usual.
Kiyone leaned over Minagi's shoulder and smiled softly. "Mihoshi can be absolutely right, sometimes. We can't just let you go without a fun family-filled dinner to remember for your long journey!"
Minagi felt a bit better. After slapping Aeka, she felt like the entire family was offended by her actions, though they didn't see them. Ryoko had felt the sting in her own hand, wondering what the hell Minagi was slapping so hard that even she could feel it. She placed her hand in her lap, contemplating what happened. She started to put two and two together before she realized that maybe Minagi had done something bad.
The small scientist placed a small box in front of Minagi. "I was only late for dinner because I wanted to finish this for you. Take it with you to remember us by whenever you're lonely."
Inside the box, a holographic family photo of everyone including Minagi shone brightly. It seemed so lifelike, standing in 3-D and with details galore. The thoughtful gift brought tears to the pirate's eyes. She felt like she really belonged to this family.
When all was calm, finally, Sasami descended the stairs. Her eyes just as bright as usual, though reddened from her previous crying. Minagi sighed a breath of relief when she saw Sasami laugh with the family again. When Aeka didn't come down, she thought it best to see what was wrong herself.
In the darkness of the room, only Aeka's shilouette could be seen. The princess sat, hunched over and looking miserable. Minagi kneeled at the door, feeling she had no right to come any closer to the princess. "Aeka, I'm really really sorry for the way I acted earlier."
"Do not apologize for doing what's right. You were right. You and Sasami. Do you know what she said to me this morning when I told her I was leaving? She said 'If you don't love yourself, how can you love anyone else?'" The princess sighed slowly. "I didn't understand what she meant by that, but now I realize. I couldn't possibly have seen the love I live with, because I didn't love myself enough to think that anyone could love me. When I met Tenchi, I thought that, that was the only love I could possibly have. I wanted it all to myself. I felt a bit greedy and gluttonous, striving to win all of his affections, but I tried to have it all anyway. I think somewhere in the process, I lost myself as a person. I started to deny that anything could be worthy of love if it wasn't the kind of love that Tenchi could give me. I was too blind to see that he did love me in his own way. It was a love that was unconditional and emotional. He loved me and protected me in a way that may be better than the love a husband can give his wife. Though it feels good to be loved in that way, it feels good to be loved this way as well. I've been hiding a part of myself just so that I can satisfy my inner greed. Who was I?" Aeka spoke softly.
"It was a part of you, that you never knew. We all seem to discover that there are parts of ourselves we never knew we had. Some good, some bad, but all just an element of who we are. If you can't love you, then you can't love anyone else, and if you can't love anyone else, they can't love you." Minagi smiled softly. "Everyone's downstairs, why don't you come eat with us. It's my last night here, I'd be honored if one of my role models joined me for dinner." She tried to lighten the situation.
Aeka embraced Minagi. "I would love to."
Descending the stairs, The princess and Minagi saw that Noboyuki and Katsuhito had joined everyone for dinner. One big happy family, after all.
End of ch. 7
- one more to go!